Harry Potter and the Dark Lord's Demise
by Newsworthy92
Summary: Lord Voldemort has finally been destroyed and the majority of the wizarding population couldn’t be happier. But how can you celebrate when people are still mourning the death of their loved ones? Is it wrong for them to be happy?
1. Chapter 1

- CHAPTER ONE –

_World at Peace_

The day of July 1st began a very peaceful one. The sunny Wednesday was the first day of many when Harry finally felt free. He was finally rid of the burden of Lord Voldemort. He had never been able to live his life to its full extent when he knew that Voldemort was always lurking in the shadows. When he'd known that it was up to him to eventually defeat the darkest and most dangerous wizard of all time. He felt like he'd been relieved of a huge responsibility that had consumed his thoughts in almost every waking moment. Despite this, he felt sad. His heart went out to all the immensely brave witches and wizards who had died in hope of this miracle one day coming true. He knew they hadn't died in vain. He still felt partly responsible. Because of him his godson, Teddy Lupin, would grow up not knowing his parents. Mr and Mrs Weasley had lost their son, and George had lost his twin. He couldn't imagine one of the Weasley twins without the other. Fred would never live to see the continued success of the joke shop. Harry didn't even know if George would keep it open. Hedwig, his faithful owl, had been his only connection to the magical world when he'd been stuck at the Dursley's. Dobby had sacrificed his own life to save them from Malfoy Manor. He couldn't forget the countless times Dobby had helped him out of a jam. Then there was Snape. Although he'd loathed the Potions master for the entire time he'd attended Hogwarts, he still valued the sacrifice he'd made. The way he'd died just showed that Voldemort had just used people as puppets to do his dirty work. The second they were no longer required the flames would devour the wood. He still couldn't believe that Snape had actually been in love with Lily. What would have happened if Lily had married Snape instead of James? Would Snape be his father? He shuddered at this thought. He could have had a different mother. Based on the memory he'd seen of his dad picking on Snape and recounts from Lupin and Sirius, he doubted his father would have ever given up on Lily. There were so many questions that he'd never know the answers to. There was no point pondering on this though. He was going to finish his education at Hogwarts come September 1st, then he would train to become an Auror. He would do it for his parents, for Sirius, for Fred, Lupin, Tonks, Dobby, Hedwig, Snape and all the other people he'd known or been friends with. He wasn't going to crawl in a hole and hide. He knew all these people would want him to continue on with his life. He looked up as the bedroom door opened. The red-haired figure of Ginny walked through the door and sat down next to him on the floor. He wasn't surprised to see her. He knew that she'd eventually figure out that he was avoiding her and her family. Well it wasn't avoiding exactly. It was more like respecting their privacy. He was leaving them to mourn Fred in peace. The two sat in silence for a few minutes before Ginny finally spoke. "We're all feeling sad you know. You don't have to hide. Nobody blames you. Its not you're fault" she said quietly. When Harry didn't respond, she continued. "I'm grieving too, but its okay for us to be happy as well. You got rid of Voldemort once and for all. Besides, it's about time you got out of this house" Ginny said. Harry had been staying at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place for a few days now. He reluctantly let Ginny help him to his feet. She took his hand and led him out of the room like he was a young child. He didn't let go though. Her hand was comforting to him. It showed that she still cared. She let go of his hand and gripped his arm tightly. As Ginny turned on the spot, Harry felt the familiar uncomfortable sensation of being squeezed through a tight tube that was apparition. He gratefully breathed in deep gulps of air as he took in his surroundings. He was of course at The Burrow, his second favourite place in the world. As he and Ginny walked through the front door he couldn't imagine how the Weasley's must be feeling. Harry was used to the house buzzing with activity so it was strange to see and hear how quiet it was. Mrs Weasley didn't even look up as they walked in. She was sitting at the table with a cup of tea which she was stirring, using her wand. He didn't know what would happened to the wand because of this but was not about to disturb Mrs Weasley. As it seemed, neither was Ginny. Harry followed her into the next room. Ron and Hermione were sitting there, and he was reassured to find that they hadn't walked in on the two kissing. He presumed they were a couple now. As usual, Hermione was fully engrossed in the book she was reading. Ron was tossing dungbombs along the floor which Crookshanks was happily fetching. Unlike Mrs Weasley, they both looked up at his and Ginny's entrance. "Harry" Hermione said. "It's about time you showed up." Harry had been expecting her to say something like that. "I had to go back to Grimmauld Place for a bit" he replied. She nodded. "Its okay Harry, you don't have to explain yourself. We're just glad that you're here." She closed her book and tucked a strand of her bushy brown hair behind her ear. He didn't want them to play the sympathy card so he changed the subject. "Are you guys going back to Hogwarts this year?" he asked. "We have to go" Ron said gesturing towards himself and Ginny. Harry turned his head to look at Hermione. "I have to go back as well so I can do the N.E.W.T. exams. I also have to finish school if I want to pursue my chosen career." She flashed a secretive smile and opened her book again. He had a feeling that she didn't want to elaborate. Ginny nudged Harry. "We'll be in the same year" she said. This made him happy. He hoped that everything would go back to the way it had been in sixth year with him and Ginny. Ron didn't look that excited about his younger sister being around more often that usual. They didn't have time to think about this though because four owls soared through the window. They jostled each other as they landed on the table. Ron was the closest so he untied the letters and handed them to their owners. They all knew that they were from Hogwarts. Harry wondered if he'd been sent one last year when he'd been away with Ron and Hermione looking for the horcruxes. Hermione let out a shriek when she opened hers. The other three turned to look at her. She had her open envelope in one hand and a badge in the other. "Is that what I think it is?" Harry asked. Hermione nods happily. They all offer their congratulations and go back to their own letters. Harry opened the flap of his envelope and widened his eyes in shock. His stomach turned over as he reached into the envelope and pulled out a badge identical to Hermione's. How could it be that he was Head Boy? Was it possible if you hadn't been a prefect? _Yes. Dad did. _Hagrid had told him that his mother had father had been Head Boy and Girl when they were at Hogwarts. At first the other three didn't notice that he was holding the badge. Then Ginny looked at it and cried out. "You're Head Boy!" she cried. Ron looked up from his own letter and stared. He mumbled his congratulations and went back to reading his own letter. Harry had a feeling that he'd been hoping to be Head Boy with Hermione. Harry hadn't expected it at all. Hermione looked up as well and let out another shriek. "I'm glad its you Harry, I'd hate to be Head Girl with Malfoy." She shuddered and grinned at Harry. Ginny wrapped him in a hug and kissed him on the cheek. He felt the place where her lips had touched tingle. He reached into his envelope and his fingers felt another badge. He knew what this one was. Pulling it out he looked at his old Quidditch Captain badge. "I knew you'd be captain again" Ron said. He'd finished looking at his own letter and looked at the other badge in Harry's hand. He stuffed the two badges into his jeans pocket and pulled out the letter.

_Dear Mr Potter_

_We understand your absence from school the previous year and invite you back this year to complete your seventh (7) year of magical education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Congratulations on becoming Head Boy and Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. You will be notified of your duties when you arrive at Hogwarts on September 1__st__. You will find attached a list of your school books and equipment for the term ahead. Enjoy the rest of your vacation._

_Professor Minerva McGonagall_

_Headmistress_

He'd forgotten that McGonagall was the Headmistress now. He didn't read the equipment list. He wouldn't need to look it at until they went to Diagon Alley to get their school stuff. "Isn't it a bit early for our Hogwarts letters?" Hermione asked. Harry paused. She was right. They didn't normally receive their letters from Hogwarts until at least August. He didn't recall receiving one before his birthday unless you counted his first one, which had avalanched the Dursley's house at Privet Drive. He wondered if Dedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones had taken them back to their house in Little Whinging now that Voldemort was dead. "Well we're short a teacher again" Ginny said. "Two teachers" Hermione interrupted. "Two? Who else is there?" Ginny asked. "They found the body of Charity Burbage, the Muggle Studies teacher, at Malfoy Manor. The Ministry think that Voldemort murdered her himself" Hermione said. "Have they said whose teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts?" Harry asked. "Not that I know of" Hermione replied. She lifted her arm and looked at her watch. "Do you guys want to go to and grab some dinner?" she asked. Harry's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Isn't Mrs Weasley cooking?" he asked. "She hasn't cooked all summer" Ginny said. "I'm starving" Ron piped up. "You're always starving Ronald" Hermione said. They all laughed. It felt good to laugh again. "Let's go to the Leaky Cauldron" Harry suggested. He had an ulterior motive for going to Diagon Alley. He took Ginny's hand and turned on the spot before any of them could reply. The uncomfortable sensation didn't last long. They touched down in the bar of the Leaky Cauldron. Ron and Hermione were close behind. Tom, the barman, looked up from the glass he was wiping. "Mr Potter, it is an honour. What can I do you for?" he asked. Harry was a bit overwhelmed at the response he was getting from the wizarding public so far but he tried to just take it in his stride. "I'll just have the special" he said, sitting down at the nearest table. Ron, Hermione and Ginny placed their orders before joining him. Ginny pulled her wand out of her pocket and conjured a candle which hovered in midair. They sat in silence as they were submerged by their thoughts. Ginny pulled her pygmy puff Arnold out of her pocket and set him on the table. They could usually find heaps to talk about but today they had nothing to say. Ginny prodded Arnold with her wand and he waddled across the table. Hermione had brought along her book which she still hadn't managed to tear herself away from. As she opened it Harry glimpsed the title, _The Tales of Beedle the Bard. _She was still reading it. He looked away as he was reminded of when they first learnt about the Hallows, at Xenophilius Lovegood's house. They'd been lucky to escape from there alive. A waitress walked out from behind the bar, hovering their plates in front of her with her wand. Harry didn't recognise her until she got closer. "Parvati?" he questioned. She nodded. Hermione and Ginny turned around. "What are you doing here?" Hermione asked. Parvati waved her wand and the plates slowly descended onto the table. "I needed some extra money so I got a summer job here" she replied. Despite protests from the others, Harry pulled his money bag out of his pocket and handed Parvati a few fat galleons. They ate their dinner in silence. After they'd all finished they got up and walked out to the back to enter Diagon Alley. Ginny still had her wand out so she tapped the bricks on the wall. They moved apart obligingly to let them through. Diagon Alley was buzzing with people as usual. As they walked down the cobbled street Harry noticed that he was receiving a lot more attention than usual. People he didn't know waved to him as he passed. The four were stopped a couple of times by people handing him gifts and bouquets of flowers. This newfound attention was annoying but also flattering in a way. He had saved them from the terror of Voldemort's reign but he didn't think he deserved all this. The other three didn't say anything about it but he had a feeling that they were a bit annoyed by it as well. When they got to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes the shop was alive with activity as usual. There were big red posters in the shop windows advertising trick furniture and two new flavours of Skiving Snackboxes. They entered the shop and manoeuvred their way through the crowds of children to reach the counter. Verity was serving at the counter. She recognised them immediately and let them past into the room behind the counter. George was sitting on a desk covered with parchment, locked in a passionate embrace with none other than the old Gryffindor Chaser Katie Bell. They broke apart hastily when the heard the door open. Ron snickered and Ginny giggled. Hermione smirked a little and Harry grinned. Katie picked up her bag from the floor and brushed past them. "Sorry to interrupt" Ron sniggered. The other three burst out laughing. Red wasn't a good colour for George's cheeks. He slid off the desk and pulled out his chair. A quill popped out of its holder and into his hand. "I'm just taking care of some bills" he said, scribbling his signature at the bottom of the first piece of parchment. Ginny coughed. "Right, business" she said. "Is it a crime to have a girlfriend this day in age?" George asked. "Since when are you going out with her?" Ron asked. "Since last week, not that it's any of your business" George replied. He looked up and saw Harry behind Ginny. "Harry, how've you been? You should have come round earlier" he said cheerfully. He scooped a few boxes of his desk and tossed them to Harry. "I've been around, I was just at Grimmauld Place for a couple of days" Harry said as he looked at the boxes. The first was bright red and blue like the poster out the front. "Try the two new flavours of Skiving Snackboxes: Tonsillitis Trifle and Measles Muffins. They're sure to make you sicker than ever before!" The second box had a clear plastic front and he could see four vials with different coloured liquid inside. This box was purple with silver writing. "Vanishing Potions- Use them to disappear when people least expect it. They come in a range of 10, 50, 100 and 200m disappearance lengths." "Then you wouldn't have heard the latest news" George said. This caught the attention of all four of them. "What news?" Ginny asked. "I'm the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts" George said. Their eyes grew wide. What about the shop?" Hermione asked, forever the logical one. "I've promoted Verity to manager and I'll be in every so often to check up on things. I think its best I get away from here for a while so when McGonagall offered me the position I accepted" George explained. "Congratulations" Harry said. He was glad that they were having George as teacher rather than some old ministry has-been like Umbridge. If she'd been appointed as a teacher again then he wouldn't return to Hogwarts. "Do you know who the new Muggle Studies teacher is?" Hermione asked. "You remember Penelope Clearwater, Percy's old girlfriend?" George asked. They nodded. "She's been chosen to teach Muggle Studies" he replied. Their conversation was interrupted by the Arthur Weasley apparating into the room with a loud crack. He didn't seem surprised to see Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny there. "I thought I'd find you four here" he said. "Hey Dad" said the three Weasley's in unison. "I'm not here on a social call. I don't know if you know already but Kingsley Shacklebolt has been appointed the new Minister for Magic. It's rather good; he is a much better Minister than Fudge or Scrimgeour. Anyway, he wants a meeting with you Harry" Mr Weasley said. "Why does he want to meet with me?" Harry asked. Mr Weasley shrugged his shoulders. "I've got no idea, I'm just the messenger. I've got to get going, busy schedule" Mr Weasley said, disappearing with another loud crack. "We'd better go" Harry said. He took Ginny's hand and turned on the spot.


	2. Chapter 2

- CHAPTER TWO –

- CHAPTER TWO –

_The Ministry_

As Harry appeared in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic he had to pull Ginny out of the way to avoid getting trampled by a herd of reporters. When they saw Harry they stopped following the wizard they'd been chasing and turned to him. He blinked as several cameras flashed in his face. "Would you mind talking to us Mr Potter?" one journalist asked, shoving a magical microphone in his face. "No comment" Harry said, dodging past the photographers with Ginny at his side. "Are you going back to Hogwarts?" a second journalist cried. They couldn't find Ron and Hermione in the mass of witches and wizards. They ducked into the elevator just before the doors closed to avoid the flock of hungry journalists. Unfortunately, it wasn't much better in the elevator. He shook hands with a group of witches from the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes and reluctantly signed an autograph for an obliviator. When the witches saw him signing it they eagerly rummaged in their bags for parchment and quills. The doors opened at Level 1 so he dragged Ginny out of the elevator with him to dodge them. They quickly found Kingsley's office and knocked on the door. A pretty blonde witch opened the door and let them through before anymore reporters, photographers or adoring fans could see them. Kingsley was dictating a memo to his quill. "...could you please make sure the obliviators caught everyone in the vicinity? Hello Harry!" he said looking up. He took the balancing quill and scratched the last part off the memo. "Away Monique" he said, waving away his blonde assistant. She disappeared through a door to the side and they were quite alone. "Congratulations on becoming Minister" Harry said. "Thankyou, it is quite fun having the top job. I just wanted to catch up with you after everything that has happened. You also need to pop down to the Apparition Office to take your test. Apparently you've been apparating without a license for about a year now" Kingsley said. Harry grinned sheepishly. "I'll go there next then" he replied. "Let's see, what did I need to talk to you about? Oh yes, did you want Number Twelve Grimmauld Place to remain connected to the Floo Network?" Kingsley asked. Harry nodded. "I thought so. Also, would you mind signing an autograph? I promised one of the obliviators that I would get it for him when I told him I was meeting with you" Kingsley added. Harry took the quill Kingsley offered him and scrawled his name across the piece of parchment. "Thanks Harry. I wouldn't normally ask but Harper is a big fan of yours" Kingsley said grinning. "Now I've had several requests from _The Daily Prophet _to secure an interview with you but I've declined them all. I didn't think you'd be interested" Kingsley continued. "We were followed by them in the Atrium" Ginny piped up. "Yes, I'll put somebody on that" Kingsley said. He got up from his chair and walked over to a filing cabinet. It looked similar to the Muggle kind except it was bright purple. It zoomed open when Kingsley approached and one file popped out. Her caught it in his free hand and handed it to Harry. "That's Remus' will. He left you all of his possessions and you are allowed visitation rights to Teddy because you're his godfather. Tonks left her possessions to her mother Andromeda. Its a very sad loss to the Auror squad that she's gone but hopefully that spot will be filled by you when you start you're training next year" Kingsley said. Harry nodded. He stuffed the will in his pocket without looking at it. "Well you better get going. You might have to come back tomorrow and do your test because it's getting rather late" Kingsley said, looking at his watch. The side door opened and Monique poked her head in. "You're seven thirty is waiting Mr Shacklebolt" she said. "Ok, I'll be with them in five" Kingsley said. He shook hands with Harry and the two left the office. They apparated back to the Burrow. Ron and Hermione had taken up their positions from before they'd left. Harry and Ginny sat down on one of the couches as Ron stood. He pulled out his wand and levitated the chocolate cake in from the kitchen. It fell onto the table with an almighty crash. The cake broke into lots of little bits. Ron muttered "_Reparo!" _as Harry and Ginny burst out laughing. "You lot shut up or you're not getting any" he grumbled as he conjured a knife. The two stopped laughing as Ron levitated two plates of cake towards them with his wand. They dug in eagerly. Hermione had a book balanced on the armchair and was scribbling with her quill on a piece of parchment in her lap. "It's not even the start of term yet, what on earth can you be writing?" Ron asked in between mouthfuls. Hermione paused; her quill poised on the parchment, and looked up. "I wrote to Professor McGonagall and asked for some extension work since I haven't been to school in a year. I'm going to be so behind when we go back" Hermione said fretfully. Ron shook his head incredulously. "How can you want to do work on vacation?" he asked. Hermione was about to answer when Ron waved at her to stop. "It was a rhetorical question" he said. There was a loud crack and Mr Weasley appeared in the room. The sound woke Mrs Weasley in the next room, who was slumbering with her head on the table. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and shuffled out of the kitchen and up the stairs. "You lot best be off to bed" Mr Weasley said. He followed his wife upstairs as Ron cleared up the cake. Hermione put her books, parchment and quills in her bag and followed Ginny upstairs to her room. Ron scarfed down one last mouthful of cake before following the girls. They kept going up to Ron's attic bedroom where a camp bed had been set up. They quietly changed into their pyjamas and went to bed without another word. The next few weeks passed without anything interesting happening. They spent the hot summer days playing Quidditch in the yard and, in Hermione's case, reading. On Harry's birthday they spent the day in Diagon Alley. Florean Fortescue gave them free ice cream sundaes with extra topping. Ron bought Harry a cool book called _Greatest Moments in Quidditch History- A Complete Guide. _It had moving photographs to match all the information. Ginny bought him a silver ring with both their initials engraved on it. Hermione got him, you guessed it, books. The first was titled _Great Seekers of the Nineteenth Century. _The other one was called _Advanced Defensive Spells, Charms, Hexes and Jinxes. _He liked the look of it. The front cover showed someone flying through the air after being stunned, and then flashed to someone using the Disarming Charm and a wand flying through the air. Before they knew it, it was August 25th and they had only a week before they returned to school. Harry rooted in his trunk until he found the pair of jeans he was looking for. He put his hand in the pocket and pulled out his Hogwarts letter and badges, along with Lupins' will that Kingsley had given him. He'd completely forgotten all about it and had never gone back to take his Apparition test. He'd ask the others if they wouldn't mind going to the Ministry before Diagon Alley so he could take his test. He dropped the jeans in his trunk with Lupin's will and put his Hogwarts letter in his pocket. He held his badges in his hand for a moment before putting them back. Ginny was waiting downstairs by the fireplace. They'd gotten permission from George to come out of his fireplace. "I have to take my apparition test so can we go to the Ministry first?" he asked. "Sure" Ginny replied. She shifted her bag on her shoulder and stepped into the fireplace. "Ministry of Magic, London" she said clearly, dropping the Floo powder in the grate. The green flames engulfed her and she was gone. Harry followed her and felt the warm flames as he moved through the different wizarding fireplaces. He coughed as he stepped out of the fireplace in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. Ginny was waiting for him a few metres away. Together they navigated their way through the busy Ministry workers until they got to the lift. Ginny pressed the button for Level Six as a familiar dark brown-haired boy pressed the button for Level Four. "Harry!" Neville cried. He clapped Harry on the shoulder with a wide grin on his face. "Hey Neville, how've you been?" Harry asked. Ginny flashed a small smile. "I've been good. Gran asked me to deliver this parcel to a friend of hers in Goblin Liason so here I am. Are you going back to Hogwarts this year then?" Neville asked. "Yes I am. Are you going back to repeat seventh year?" Harry asked. Neville's grin grew wider. "Gran wanted me to apply for a position at the Ministry but I wanted to repeat because you can't really call what the Carrows taught an education" Neville said. He still had scars on his face from the previous year. The number on the lift glowed four so Neville waved goodbye. "See you next week at King's Cross" he said cheerfully before walking out of the elevator. Ginny and Harry waved as the doors closed. They got off next at Level Six and walked down the hallway until they found a door marked "Apparition Test Centre." It opened before Harry could turn the handle. A tall boy with curly brown hair and eyes slipped out of the office. He so resembled Cedric Diggory, the seventh year Harry had watched being murdered by Voldemort four years ago, that Harry said "Cedric" before he knew what he was saying. The boy looked up, a lock of his hair falling in his eyes. He brushed it away before turning to Harry. "Excuse me?" he asked. Harry covered his mouth with his hand. He removed it and looked up. "Sorry, you just look like Cedric Diggory" Harry replied. The boy smiled. "You're close, I'm his cousin. The name is Dylan" he said, holding his hand out. Harry shook it. "So how did you know Cedric?" he asked. Harry cleared his throat uncertainly. "Well I uh... I competed with him in the Triwizard Tournament" he said. Dylan's eyes clouded. "You're Harry Potter then?" he asked. Harry nodded. "I'm sorry..." he said. Dylan brushed him off. "Its ok, I know it's not your fault. You're very brave" Dylan said. "Thanks" Harry mumbled. "It was nice meeting you anyway" Dylan said before walking off. Harry and Ginny continued into the Apparition Test Centre. The waiting room was empty except for an all too familiar girl with black hair. At the moment though, with Ginny, she was the last person that Harry wanted to see. Unfortunately, he had to speak to her so he could take his test. She looked up and recognised him immediately. Even if she hadn't known him, she would have recognised him. Who hadn't heard of Harry Potter, the Chosen One? "Harry!" she cried. As he walked up to the desk she leaned over and hugged him. "Nice to see you Cho" he said through her iron grip. Ginny stood next to him uncomfortably. He managed to pry himself away and took Ginny's hand. He looked at her reassuringly. "Ginny" Cho said flatly. "Cho" Ginny replied in the same bored tone. Harry stood there, practically drowning in the tension in the room. "Here's your form" Cho said in a monotone, shoving a clipboard and a quill across the desk at him. He grabbed it just before it fell of the desk. Him and Ginny went and sat down in seats by the wall. Even as he filled out the form he could feel Cho's eyes on him. As if she had something to prove, Ginny was sitting as close to Harry as possible and even leant her head on his shoulder. He didn't mind the attention but he knew she was mainly just putting it on for Cho. He scribbled his signature, something he'd grown all too accustomed to, and handed Cho back the form. She buzzed them through to the next room where a portly man was waiting. "I'm Mr Newman, your examiner. You know the drill so just stand behind the line" the man said in the same bored tone. Ginny stepped over to the side as Harry stood behind the white line Mr Newman had indicated. He wasn't nervous. He'd been apparating illegally for a year. He was pretty sure he knew how to it by now. Mr Newman didn't need to know that though. "When you're ready" Mr Newman said. Harry shrugged and turned on the spot. Because he was apparating such a short distance the uncomfortable feeling didn't last long. He was over the other side of the room in a matter of seconds. Mr Newman pulled a magnifying glass out of his pocket and walked over to the line, looking for splinching. He finally looked up after studying every inch of the space Harry had been standing. "Pass" he said. "Congratulations" Ginny said walking over to him. Mr Newman opened the door and went back into the waiting room as Ginny kissed Harry on the cheek. Now that the room was empty her lips moved onto his and they kissed. They were so absorbed in each other that they didn't hear the door open again. They didn't notice Cho's presence until she cleared her throat loudly. The broke apart and looked at her. "You're license" Cho said abruptly, handing him a laminated card. He shoved it in his pocket as she stalked out of the room. Ginny burst out laughing as the door slammed. Their lips met again as Harry turned on the spot. As he was being sucked through the narrow tube their lips slowly broke apart. They were in Diagon Alley and almost got trampled by the witches and wizards going about their shopping. Harry steered Ginny over to the side next to a display of owl cages at Eeylops Owl Emporium. He pulled the list out of his pocket and unfolded it. _Seventh Year Book and Equipment List_

_Potions- restock potion ingredients etc_

_Defence Against the Dark Arts-_

_Senior Defensive Magic by Gandhi Fletcher_

_Charms- Advanced Charming by Miranda Goshawk and The Standard Book of Spells Grade Seven by Miranda Goshawk_

_Herbology- A Herbologist's Guide to Difficult and Dangerous Plants by Newt Scamander_

_Transfiguration- Transfigured by Albus Dumbledore_

"I didn't know Dumbledore wrote a book" Harry said out loud. Ginny looked over his shoulder at the list. "He was a very skilled wizard. He probably did a ton of things you didn't know about" Ginny said. They walked further down the street until they got to Flourish and Blotts. The front window was consumed by a display of purple books covered in silver stars. There was a moving picture of Albus Dumbledore below the word "Transfigured" in the familiar slanting writing that Harry had come to recognise in his sixth year. A sign in the window said "New! Just in today!" Harry looked confusedly at the sign. "How can Dumbledore write book if he's dead?" he asked nobody in particular. A voice behind him answered. "It was published by McGonagall but written by Dumbledore" it said. Harry immediately recognised the voice as Hermione and turned around. She was holding hands with Ron as she stared at Harry. She was carrying no books so he presumed she was about to enter Flourish and Blotts as well. "Huh?" he asked, still confused. "I don't know the full story but apparently McGonagall found it in a bunch of Dumbledore's old stuff and decided to publish it in his memory. It has colour pages with the articles Dumbledore had published in _Transfiguration Today _as well" Hermione said excitedly. The conversation ended as they entered the shop. The display of Dumbledore's book inside was attracting a lot of attention, and not just from the seventh year Hogwarts students who had to buy it. The majority of the people in queue at the cash register were clutching a copy of the purple book with silver stars. The four first went over to the section dedicated to Defence Against the Dark Arts and took a copy of _Senior Defensive Magic. Advanced Charming _and _The Standard Book of Spells Grade Seven _were close by. Hermione got four of the book they needed for Herbology and they walked up to the rapidly decreasing pile of _Transfigured_. Harry swore he saw the Dumbledore on the cover of his book wink at him with the familiar bright blue eye behind his half-moon spectacles. When he looked back at it though, Dumbledore was staring off into space. They each waited in line and paid for their books, leaving the store laden with their purchases.


End file.
